Farewell, My Princess
by Rapndash
Summary: Link/Midna songfic This is my take on the ending of the "Twilight Princess". Written as a songfic, and hopefully a good one. Spoilers.


**Farewell, My Princess**

A Zelda fan fiction by Rapndash.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Legend of Zelda or it's characters. This is my first attempt at a song-fic, so I hope you enjoy it. This story was inspired by the song "Incomplete" by the Backstreet Boys, and it just seemed to fit. This is my version of the ending of the Twilight Princess, when Link and Midna have to say goodbye. Sort of set between my other two Zelda fics. Please be kind.

**Farewell, My Princess**

The trio was silent as they journeyed together. The only sound was the wind blowing through the grass and trees, along with the occasional bird call above them. The soft clicking of the horses' hooves along the dirt path to Lake Hylia echoed against the silence. Link guided Epona along with a gentle tug of the reigns, lost in thought while Midna leaned against his back. Princess Zelda was close beside him on her own white horse. This was one journey no one was looking forward to. Link and Zelda were escorting Midna back to Gerudo Desert to the mirror chamber where she could return to her kingdom in the Realm of Twilight. It was only fitting. Her people needed their leader to help rebuild after the chaos caused by Zant and Ganondorf. They had finally reached the hardest part of their adventure...far harder than all the battles: saying goodbye to new friends. No one felt this more painfully than Midna herself.

_Empty spaces fill me up with holes  
Distant faces with no place left to go_

The Twilight Princess had expected her return to her realm and the restoration to her place as ruler would be a joyful one. But then again, she hadn't expected to fall in love with the Hero of the Realm of Light. She was starting to regret her decision to reveal her feelings to Link. She thought back on their time in the castle, mere hours ago, when they had consummated their love in the most intimate way. Midna had never know such pleasures could exist, but now it only served to make their farewell that much more painful. How could she bear to leave him behind now? She didn't know if her heart could take the sorrow. Once back in her realm, she would likely never return. Because as much as it pained her, she knew there was one last task she needed to do...to protect the ones she had grown to love so much.

_Without you within me I can't find no rest  
Where I'm going is anybody's guess _

Midna was well aware of the danger the Mirror of Twilight posed to both realms. She had witnessed the result of the dark power within it. Corrupting the Yeti's poor wife, creating that horrible spider creature, and controlling that dragon in the sky... It was too dangerous to leave intact, even though it was the only known bridge between the two realms. Midna knew that destroying it would mean she and Link would never be together again...but the risk of that power escaping again was far to great. Even if it cost her the only true love she had ever known.

Midna glanced at Link's face, seeing he was also thinking deeply about something. Perhaps he realized what would happen once she crossed over. The Twili looked up to see the Great Bridge of Eldin looming ahead of them. Beyond that over the mountains, the vast Gerudo Desert with the immense Arbiter's Grounds looming in the sky...their destination. It wouldn't be much longer.

_Link,_ Midna thought, _I hope you can forgive me for what I must do..._

_I try to go on like I never knew you  
I'm awake but my world is half asleep  
I pray for this heart to be unbroken  
But without you all I'm going to be is incomplete _

"The path leading to the desert is still blocked," Zelda said, finally breaking the silence. "We'll have to find another way to the Mirror of Twilight."

Link nodded absently. "When I first went to the desert, I had to use the cannon at the bottom of Lake Hylia...not the most pleasant mode of transportation. I wish I knew of another way."

They stopped their horses and dismounted...no one in any real hurry to continue. Link's thoughts drifted to his beloved Twilight Princess. They had been together from the very beginning of his quest to save Hyrule. He had grown accustomed to her presence...her snide remarks and sarcasm...and even more so, he had grown to love her. He didn't want to let her go, but he knew he had to. Her people needed her. He had tried to be optimistic about the situation. His last moments in the castle with Midna were bitter sweet. Their love for each other had grown stronger the longer they were together, finally crashing upon them as they gave in to their desires. Link mentally shook himself from his daze. Had they really done the right thing?

_Voices tell me I should carry on  
But I am swimming in an ocean all alone_

Link looked up as Midna brushed past him. She walked to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the lake as the light of the setting sun cast it's colors over the water. She seemed melancholy despite the fact that she was going home after being banished for so long. He understood her reluctance to leave...after what had happened between them.

Zelda seemed to sense it too. "Are you all right, Midna?" she asked. "You seem depressed. Aren't you happy to finally be going home?"

Midna sighed, not looking away from the scenery below her. "I am glad to return to my people. But...there's a lot I'm going to miss here, too. This world has a beauty unlike any seen in the Twilight Realm. I just...want to commit as much of it to memory as I can."

The Hylian Princess smiled. "I understand, Midna. Our worlds are so different from one another." She turned to Link suddenly. "Link, do you think that cannon could get us to the desert?"

Link, who had returned to his thoughts, startled at her question. "Actually, Zelda, the cannon may not be the best idea. It's a rather rough ride. We really need a better option."

"It's ok," Midna said, interrupting them. "I can transport us there with my magic. I just...I want to watch the lake a bit more."

Link walked up beside of her, gently putting his arm around her waist. He was still getting used to the fact that she was taller than him in her true form. She leaned against him, enjoying his warmth and company. Link watched her from the corner of his eye. He saw a deep sadness in her eyes...a sadness he shared.

_Does she...regret what we did?_ he thought. Perhaps they shouldn't have gone so far...but maybe fate had other plans? Link could only hope this wouldn't be the last time he would hold her close to him. He tightened his grip on her waist, trying to make the most of their last moments together.

_Baby, my baby, it's written on your face  
You still wonder if we made a big mistake _

"I know this is hard for both of you," Zelda spoke gently, "but we really need to be going before it gets dark. The trip back from the desert may not be so easy, and there is no telling what creatures wander the desert at night."

Link saw the wisdom in her words, appropriate for the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. Still, he found himself longing to hold on...for this moment to never end. Midna shifted in his grasp and he reluctantly released his hold on her. She still held the sadness in her eyes, hard as she was trying to hide it. Trying to be strong...for him as well as for herself.

"All right," she said quietly. "I'll take us to the Mirror Chamber now. Just focus your thoughts of me."

Link considered the irony of the statement. He couldn't STOP the thoughts of her floating through his head. He closed his eyes as he felt the familiar tingle of the Twili magic that he knew signaled they were warping. Funny how strange the sensation had been the first time, but now it was like a regular occurrence. After a few moments, the feeling of weightlessness passed, and Link opened his eyes. The three of them now stood at the base of the platform holding the Mirror of Twilight. The three quietly walked up the stairs as the mirror's surface began to glow...creating a large portal on the large stone directly across from it. Link felt a small glimmer of hope inside. Maybe with the mirror still intact...there was a chance that he and Midna could still see one another. It didn't have to be goodbye forever...just for a time.

_Perhaps this can work out after all,_ he thought.

_I try to go on like I never knew you  
I'm awake but my world is half asleep  
I pray for this heart to be unbroken  
But without you all I'm going to be is incomplete _

Midna slowly turned to face them. The time she had been dreading was finally here. "Well...I guess this is farewell, huh? Light and shadow can't mix, as we all know." She wanted desperately to hold on to her usual cynicism, but she couldn't even bring herself to look at her friends directly. "But..." she continued, pausing slightly, "Never forget that there's another world bound to this one."

Zelda felt the Twili's pain. Her friend was afraid of being forgotten. She smiled and said, "Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin... One cannot exist without the other."

She glanced between her friends, sensing their internal struggle. "I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world... They left it because it was their design that we should meet." She paused and looked back up at her fellow princess. "Yes...that is what I believe."

Midna pondered her friend's insight, finally managing a small smile. She looked up. "Zelda...Your words are kind, and your heart is true." She closed her eyes. "If all in Hyrule are like you... Then maybe you'll do all right."

Midna turned and walked to the end of the platform. There was a glow of white light as the stairs leading to portal formed. The Twilight Princess turned to her friends one last time. She met Link's eyes, his sadness mirroring her own. This would truly be the last time they'd see each other.

_I'm sorry, Link_.

_I don't mean to drag it on,  
But I can't seem to let you go  
I don't wanna make you face this world alone  
I wanna let you go_

Midna smiled down at her lover. "Thank you..." She paused. She knew full well her actions would likely cause him great pain, but it wasn't safe for the Mirror of Twilight to remain in one piece. Still... "Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as that mirror's around, we could meet again..."

Midna's eyes closed as she felt a tear coming to her eye. She focused a small amount of her magic into that tear, her next actions painfully deliberate. "Link..." she said as the tear slid down her face. It began to float slowly toward the mirror. She raised her hand slowly...

"I..." She gave the tear a gentle push...sending it faster toward it's destination...

"See you later..."

The tear finally hit the mirror, disappearing into the glass. Suddenly the mirror began to crack, lines running out from the center of the glass. Zelda and Link turned swiftly to see the cracks growing wider. The realization of what Midna had done hit Link like a ton of bricks. She was going to destroy the mirror. He turned back to her abruptly , pleading with his eyes.

_She...she can't! Without the mirror..._

Midna ran up the stairs quickly, preparing to quickly slip through before the mirror broke. She turned to Link one last time with a forced smile. It was for the best. The mirror's powers were too dangerous.

_It has to be this way, my love. Please understand..._

_I try to go on like I never knew you  
I'm awake but my world is half asleep  
I pray for this heart to be unbroken  
But without you all I'm going to be is..._

The mirror's light shown upon the Twilight Princess, opening the portal completely. Link kept his eyes glued to hers as she slowly disappeared into the portal. Her body dissolved into small white particles and floated into the stone. Then finally, she was gone...back in her own world. The light disappeared, the glass of the mirror cracking wildly before shattering completely. Fragments sprayed everywhere, dissolving into the air leaving only the empty stand behind.

Link stared at the now blank stone where the portal once was. His beloved was gone forever. The hope of them ever being together again was gone...shattered the same way the mirror had been. Link turned away sadly. He felt a heavy weight upon his chest that he knew could never be lifted. Zelda placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, but Link barely noticed her. His thoughts remained with his love.

_Incomplete _

"Link...will you be ok?" Zelda asked him.

Link sighed heavily. "She's gone...I've lost her forever, Zelda. She...she never even told me she planned to destroy the Mirror of Twilight. Why did she do it, Zelda? I...I thought she..."

He trailed off as he felt himself losing control of his emotions. He couldn't start crying in front of the Princess of Hyrule. He was supposed to be a hero. Heroes didn't cry. He jumped slightly as he felt Zelda hug him gently.

"I understand, Link. You were in love with her, and yet she was forced to leave you. Midna knew how powerful the magic in the Mirror of Twilight was. She destroyed it because it was too dangerous. I know it hurt her as much as it hurt you."

Link felt a tear fall down his check, and he turned away. "How will I live without her?"

"You'll find a way to move on. Perhaps fate will bring you together in the same way you first met."

Link said nothing. Princess Zelda was right. He had to find a way to move on. What else could he do? Midna was gone. His beloved was gone forever. There was nothing he could do to change it. Besides, he needed to get Princess Zelda back to the castle safely. He was needed. He couldn't let his personal feelings prevent him from being the hero Hyrule required. Link turned toward the stone one last time, sending his thoughts to his beloved.

_Farewell...my princess._

_Incomplete_


End file.
